Oil spillage enclosure system for marine use

ABSTRACT

A system for containing oil that might be spilled in handling at a marine oil transfer facility where the floating vessel and the mooring are sides of the containment, two closure devices are provided, one on each side of the hose handling area, between the vessel and the mooring to enclose an area of the water&#39;&#39;s surface to locally contain a depth of floating oil, wherein the closure sides are movable to compensate for motion of the floating vessel while it&#39;&#39;s moored.

United States Patent 1191 MacLean 1111 3,766,739 1451 Oct.23, 1973 OIL SPILLAGE ENCLOSURE SYSTEM F0 MARINE USE Glenn J. MacLean, 8901 N. E.'10 Court, Miami, Fla. 33138' Filed: May 30, 1972 Appl. No.: 257,790

Inventor:

U.S. Cl. 61/1 F, 61/46, 61/48 Int. Cl E02b 3/22, EO2b 15/04 Field of Search 61/1 F, 48, 46;

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 9/1964 Smith 6l/l F 811971 -Missud 61/1 FX 12/1907 Robertson.....

8/1969 'Lovell 114/230 6/1916 Jelalian 114/219 3/1961 Edwards et al. 267/139 X Primary Examiner'Mervin Stein Assistant Examiner-David H. Corbin Attorney-Eugene F. Malin et a1.

[57] ABSTRACT A system'for containing oil that might be spilled in handling at a marine oil transfer facility where the floating vessel and the mooring are sides of the containment, two closure devices are provided, one on each side of the hose handling area, between the vessel and the mooring to enclose an area of the waters surface to locally contain a depth of floating oil, wherein the closure sides are movable to compensate for motion of the floating vessel while its moored.

4 Claims,'8 Drawing Figures OIL SPILLAGE ENCLOSURE SYSTEM FOR MARINE USE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION One known means of containing oil about an oil transfer facility utilizes an elongated floating boom structure to surround the vessel.

Floating booms generally comprise of a curtain suspended in the water by surface floats in end-to-end relation, these bo'oms being connected along one edge of the curtain and ballasts being connected along the opposite edge to hold the curtain in a generally upright position with portions of the curtain extending below the waters surface.

The most pertinent prior art is US Pat. No. 3,146,598. This patent discloses buoyant floats connected in spaced relation to a flexible sheet for surrounding a moored vessel and subsequently storing the boom pleated in side-by-side sectional relation.

This type of boom was quite long and clumsy to handle, and required a powerboat and a crew of men to position the boom prior to transferring the oil and again after transferring the oil.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION An enclosure system for containing floating material on a body of water between one side of a ships hull and an adjacent mooring barrier comprising a pair of barriers expandable along the length'and extending in height below and above the surface of said body of water, each barrier laterally separated from each other and connected at one end to said mooring barrier. Each barrier at one end has a bumper means which engages with the hull of the vessel preventing oil from escaping between bumpers and the ships hull. A retractable and extendible tensioning support means support barrier above and in the water while providing tension to retain the bumper in contact with the ships hull regardless of the lateral motionof the ship.

It is the object of this invention to provide an oil containment system that is permanently attached to the transfer facility that can be positioned by a single man utilizing a power assist.

Another object is to provide a closure device that maintains a seal between the vessel and the transfer facility as the vessel ascends, descends, and moves laterally during the transfer of oil and as the vessel moves about its restraints. i

It is-a further object toprovide a closure device with means toconform to the tidal elevation either by manual positioning or automatic control.

A still further object is to provide means to raise the closure device to minimize corrosion and marine growth on the portion of the closure device that necessarily must be submerged during operation.

V And yet, still another object of this invention, is to provide an enclosure device that may be utilized in a marine environment for the containment of floating waste material.

In accordance with these and other objects which will be apparent hereinafter, the instant invention will now be described with particular reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an angular perspective of a barge at a transfer facility.

FIG. 2 is a partial elevation of the closure device.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary pictorial of the closure device.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the closure device.

FIG. 5 is a pneumatic control diagram showing the control valve in the extended position.

FIG. 6 is a pneumatic control diagram showing the control valve in the retracted position.

FIG. 7 is an elevation of a vertically adjustable mounting bracket.

FIG. 8 is a view of section A-A.

Preferred Embodiment of the Invention Referring to FIG. 1, the barge l is shown in position to transfer oil to the unloading dock 2 through a hose 3. Restraints are attached to bumper dolphins 4 to secure the barge. Applicants invention, closure-device 5 is provided on each side of the hose handling'area 6. Sheet piling 7 supports the closure devices and extends to the sea wall or shoreline 8 to enclose the hose handling area.

Referring to FIG. 2, bumper means such as blade 9 contacts the barge l vertically. The area of the blade 9 in contact with the barge is minimized to-reduce the force on the arms 10 generated when the barge moves. The blade is attached to each arm by clevis 11. Each arm is attached to a piston 12 which slides within a cylinder 13. Air is introduced through the air-to-extend inlet and applies pressure on the piston 12 which extends'the arms until the blade contacts the barge, sealing the containment. Air pressure is equalized between the cylinders through an interconnecting pipe 15 on each end. Air is introduced through the air-to-retract 16to retract the blade to its stored position. A flexible curtain 17 is attached to the blade 9 on one end and to the sheet piling 7 on the other. The upper edgeof the curtain 18 is above the high tide level 19. The lower edge of the curtain 20 is below the elevation of the bottom of the unloaded barge at low tide 21 minus the depth of oil to'be contained.

Referring to FIG. 3, the cylinders 13 are supported by pipe clamps 22 bolted to the sheet piling 7. Sliding loops 23 are attached at the midspan of the curtain l8 and slide along the arms 10 to secure the curtainagainst wave action and to ensure the curtain remains upright. '5

Referring to FIG. 4, the blade 9 is attached to each arm 10 by clevis 11 which'is pinned to allow' the barge to roll while maintaining the blade parallel and in con-' tact with the side-of the barge. The curtain-'17 is attached to the blade 9 on one end and thesheet piling 7 on the other. A flange 24 is providedfto support the arm 10 and to seal the air within the cylinder 13.

Referring to FIG. 5, air is supplied to an adjustable pressure regulator 25. A pressure relief valve 26'is provided to relievepressure in the event the barge moves in such a manner as to cause a pressure increase in the cylinders. A two gang three-way valve 27 is provided to control air to the cylinders. The control valve 27 is shown in position to introduce air to the cylinders through the air-to-extend inlet 14 and exhaust air from the air-to-retract inlet- 16.

Referring to FIG. 6, the control valve'27 is shown in position to introduce air to the cylinders 13throu'gh the air-to-retract inlet 16 and exhaust air from the 'air to extend inlet 14. 1

In operation, the curtain and the bumper blade effectively seal the area between the ship, the barriers, and the mooring by keeping the blade tensioned against the ships hull. This is accomplished by a rectractable and extendible force created on the pistons in the air cylinder chamber. The air pressure is regulated by a control device which may be of any suitable means to properly control the air pressure in the cylinder to maintain sufficient force on the pistons to keep the arm, and therefore the blades, and resiliently against the ships hull. Although a pneumatic tensioning device has been utilized, any suitable equivalent could be used that would hold the curtain and barrier against the ships hull. It is also possible that the device could be used between two ships having the supporting means which include the arms and the pneumatic tubes coupled to one ship rigidly while flexibly engaged to the hull of the adjacent ship.

Referring to FIG. 7, a vertically adjustable mounting bracket 28 is shown in the raised position. Tracks 29 are provided on each end of the bracket. A follower 30 is attached to the mounting bracket 28 and engages a jackscrew 31 held in place by pillow blocks 32 at each end; A driver connection 33 at the end of the jackscrew 31 provides suitable attachment for either a handwheel or motor operator.

It is contemplated that the mounting bracket could be positioned manually utilizing a handwheel. The mounting bracket could also be positioned automatically utilizing a level transmitter switch sensing the tide level, or a remote control switch, to signal a motor operator on the jackscrew driver.

The instant invention has been shown and described herein in what is considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment. It is recognized, however, that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention and that obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

What I claim is:

1. An enclosure system for containing floating material on a body of water between one side of a ship's hull and an adjacent mooring barrier comprising:

a pair of partitions expandable in length and extending in height below and above the surface of said body of water, each partition laterally separated from each other and connected at one end to said mooring barrier;

a pair of bumpers, one of said bumpers coupled to the free end of each partition engageable with said ships hull;

a pair of partition support means, one of said support means coupled at one end adjacent the bumper end of a different partition; and

a pair of tensioning means coupled to said mooring barrier each connected to a different one of said support means for holding each bumper in engagement with said ships hull regardless of the motions of said ship whereby floating material is contained between said hull, said partitions and said mooring barrier.

2. An enclosure system, as in claim 1, wherein:

each tensioning means includes an arm rigidly coupled to one support means, of said a piston attached at one end of said arm, an air cylinder chamber, a source of air coupled to said air cylinder chamber, and a control means for regulating pressure of air in said chamber acting on said piston in accordance with movement of said piston.

3. An enclosure system as in claim 2, wherein: said bumper is blade shaped.

4. An enclosure system, as in claim 1 including:

means for adjusting said partitions and said bumpers vertically in height, whereby tidal variations in said body of water may be compensated relative to said partitions and said bumpers to position said partitions and said bumpers below and above the surface of said body of water.

t i t I! 

1. An enclosure system for containing floating material on a body of water between one side of a ship''s hull and an adjacent mooring barrier comprising: a pair of partitions expandable in length and extending in height below and above the surface of said body of water, each partition laterally separated from each other and connected at one end to said mooring barrier; a pair of bumpers, one of said bumpers coupled to the free end of each partition engageable with said ship''s hull; a pair of partition support means, one of said support means coupled at one end adjacent the bumper end of a different partition; and a pair of tensioning means coupled to said mooring barrier each connected to a different one of said support means for holding each bumper in engagement with said ship''s hull regardless of the motions of said ship whereby floating material is contained between said hull, said partitions and said mooring barrier.
 2. An enclosure system, as in claim 1, wherein: each tensioning means includes an arm rigidly coupled to one support means, of said a piston attached at one end of said arm, an air cylinder chamber, a source of air coupled to said air cylinder chamber, and a control means for regulating pressure of air in said chamber acting on said piston in accordance with movement of said piston.
 3. An enclosure system as in claim 2, wherein: said bumper is blade shaped.
 4. An enclosure system, as in claim 1, including: means for adjusting said partitions and said bumpers vertically in height, whereby tidal variations in said body of water may be compensated relative to said partitions and said bumpers to position said partitions and said bumpers below and above the surface of said body of water. 